Medical tests revealed no structural damage in New Orleans Hornets forward/center Jason Smith's injured left shoulder, but Smith will be listed as day-to-day with what's being termed a "strain." Smith injured the shoulder during a five-on-five practice scrimmage Monday, but on Tuesday he couldn't describe exactly how the mishap occurred.

"I have no idea how it happened," said Smith. "I think I set a screen and I went down to rebound and when I was going to bring my arm up and over to start running back on defense, I either got tangled up with somebody or some people say it was from the screen.

"All I know is that my arm did not feel good. Some people thought it was my elbow because I was grabbing my elbow. But my arm was just not stable, so I was just trying to stabilize the whole arm."

New Orleans Hornets forward/center Jason SmithTP file photo

X-rays, Smith said, showed no fractures or bone chips, and a subsequent MRI revealed no structural damage, tears to ligaments or the labrum or rotator cuff, only some lingering fluid from the initial trauma.

"It might have popped out and popped back in on its own," Smith said, "which is a lot better than it fully popping out. I've just got to take it day by day now, just get in and get treatment. They haven't really given me a timetable as to when to come back. It's basically just on pain tolerance. We've just got to move forward. There's a significant bone bruise on the shoulder itself, but no tears.

"I definitely feel lucky on that one. Typically if you have a shoulder dislocation, especially playing basketball, getting tangled up with somebody things don't really come out for the best. You usually have tears and such. And that's what I was really nervous (about), getting the results of the MRI. But everything looked OK, so I was very happy about that."

Smith had just returned to full contact work on Sunday after a hard fall in the Hornets' Oct. 7 exhibition opener at Mexico City against the Orlando Magic left him with a sore back. He has not played in a preseason game since, and won't play Thursday night when the Hornets travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks.

"My back, my shoulder. ... if it's not one thing it's another," Smith said. "But if you play like that, play hard every possession, I'm not saying you're bound to have something happen to you, but some things might happen to you here and there."

Hornets Coach Monty Williams said Wednesday he'd do some shuffling at both positions until Smith feels well enough to return.

"Right now, we don't have a backup center because Ryan (Anderson) and Jason are really 'fours' who can play it together," Williams said. "Jason can do it, but he gets really worn out when he has to play against those guys who are 260 (pounds), 270 on up.

"It probably is by committee. A.D. can do it sometimes. We probably play a little faster with that group. But Robin is the guy right now. We've just got to make sure guys who step in there know how to play that backup center and not put us in a tough spot."

Williams said it was evident the way Smith was moving around on Wednesday – walking gingerly and holding his left arm against his body – that his discomfort level was high.

"It's a pain thing right now," Williams said. "He's in a lot of pain, but he won't admit it. We don't want to load him up with a lot of medication in the preseason. We just want it to heal properly.

"He just plays so hard, he's always got something. He's in pain, so we're just trying to be careful with it."Smith missed 20 games last season with a concussion and one with an ankle sprain.